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Defaced Atomic Bomb Cenotaph
Akahata editorial

The Atomic Bomb Cenotaph in the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park in Hiroshima was vandalized by a member of a rightist group on July 26.

Books listing the names of the atomic bomb victims are stored in the stone burial chamber of the cenotaph. On every August 6th, the day of the atomic bombing, Hiroshima City holds a peace memorial ceremony. Thus, the cenotaph symbolizes the "soul of Hiroshima."

Damaging the cenotaph amounts to insulting all hibakusha and is a crime trampling on the fervent wish for peace. Let us raise our voice criticizing this vicious act in order to prevent such an outrageous act from ever occurring again.

Intentional crime

The rightist criminal reportedly presented himself at the police station to state that he defaced the cenotaph because he was angered by the word "mistake" inscribed on the epitaph. The inscription reads "Let all the souls here rest in peace as we will never repeat this mistake." He reportedly stated that it is the Americans who committed the mistake in dropping the atomic bomb.

This shows that what he did was not just to vandalize but was ideological based on his convictions. In March 2002, someone splashed paint on the monument. A thorough investigation is needed into the possible links between these two cases.

The Atomic Bomb Cenotaph was built in 1952. Concerning the epitaph, which reads "Let all the souls here rest in peace as we will never repeat the mistake," some have argued that it fails to clearly show who was responsible for the mistake.

In 1983, Hiroshima City installed a plate in front of the cenotaph to explain why it was built, that reads, "The inscription expresses the spirit of Hiroshima, the hope that all people in the world will pray for the repose of the A-bomb victims' souls, vow never to repeat the mistake of war, endure the sadness of the past, overcome hatred, desire coexistence and prosperity for all peoples, and achieve a true peace."

The atomic bombings of d Hiroshima and Nagasaki killed about 200,000 people and destroyed the two cities. The indiscriminate mass killing of citizens is a war crime in violation of international law which prohibits the killing of non-combatants. Clearly, it was a serious "mistake" committed by the United States.

In order not to recreate such a serious "mistake," it is important to prevent wars from recurring and establish a peaceful world. Japan, which forced Asian and other Pacific peoples to pay untold costs, must look squarely to and reflect on its "mistake" in waging the war of aggression. This is essential for world peace. The Atomic Bomb Cenotaph carries that message.

While looking at Japan's "mistake," we are trying to contribute to achieving a peaceful world. This is why the call of Hiroshima on the world for the prevention of nuclear war and the abolition of nuclear weapons can attract the sympathy of many people.

Dangerous justification of war of aggression

The rightist took a hostile view of the word "mistake" by arguing, "Japan didn't commit the 'mistake.' The United States is to blame." Thus, he defaced the cenotaph.

Behind this idea is an increasing move to call the remorse over Japan's war of aggression as "masochistic" and forge a history as if Japan never made a "mistake."

Prime Minister Koizumi Jun'ichiro's visits to Yasukuni Shrine and the publication of the "New History Textbook (Fusosha Publishing Inc.)" that glosses over the war of aggression are part of this move.

The incident this time shows the dangerous nature of the recent argument to justify the war of aggression, which destroyed peace and human morality. -- Akahata, July 29, 2005